Under the 3GPP standards, a NodeB (or an eNB in LTE) is the base station via which mobile devices connect to the core network. Recently the 3GPP standards body has adopted an official architecture and started work on a new standard for home base stations (HNB). Where the home base station is operating in accordance with the LTE standard, the HNB is sometimes referred to as a HeNB. However, for simplicity, we will just use the term HNB in the following description. The HNB will provide radio coverage (3G/4G) within the home and will connect to the mobile network via a suitable public network (for example via an ADSL link to the Internet) and an HNB gateway (HNB-GW). As part of this standard setting process, the registration procedure between the HNB and the HNB-GW has been agreed.
It has also been agreed that an access control mechanism is mandatory at the HNB-GW whereas it is optionally provided for pre-release 8 User Equipment (UE) at the HNB. Further, with the various evolving scenarios of HNB deployments, it is recognised that the HNB could operate with different access control mechanisms, namely “Open”, “Closed” and “Hybrid”. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, if the HNB is open, then the mandatory access control at the HNB-GW is not required for pre-release 8 UEs. If the HNB is hybrid, then the mandatory access control at the HNB-GW may not required for pre-release 8 UEs.
Although for efficiency of understanding for those of skill in the art, the invention will be described in detail in the context of a 3G system, the principles of the invention can be applied to other systems in which mobile devices or User Equipment (UE) communicate with one of several base stations with the corresponding elements of the system changed as required.